Life Hacks – Spoken Edition

Before you download iOS 11, you should make sure all the apps you rely on will work with the newest version of the operating system. With iOS 11 Apple will no longer be offering support for 32-bit apps. Instead, everything that runs on iOS devices will need to have been updated to a 64-bit version. On a super basic level, 64-bit apps are going to run much faster than a 32-bit version and take advantage of the current hardware in the iPhone.

Welcome back to Mid-Week Meditations, Lifehacker’s weekly dip into the pool of stoic wisdom, and how you can use its waters to reflect on and improve your life. This week’s selection comes from the Roman philosopher Seneca’s On the Shortness of Life, a 2,000-year-old treatise on how we spend our time that still rings true today: It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it.

If you’re dead set on getting one of the new iPhone 8s when they start shipping this Friday, you have a few options. And some of those options are significantly cheaper than others. The basic iPhone 8 starts at $699 and up, but the real cost can vary depending on the carrier you choose and how you pay for it. Keep in mind, no carriers offer “free” iPhones for two-year contracts anymore. So you’ll either have to buy it upfront or go with a carrier installment plan.

Missing a connecting flight is one of the most stressful and frustrating things that can happen to you when flying. If you want to avoid it, you need to give yourself ample time between flights, and do a little homework before you fly. https://lifehacker.com/how-to-choose-an-airport-for-a-layover-1797419186 Ever had to sprint through an airport terminal to catch your next plane? There’s a simple reason why.

The dual-monitor setup is an enticing way to make it look like you’re extra-productive. Multiple monitors just scream power user. Practically, however, the set-up can be more of a hindrance than a help. What if using a single display allowed you to improve your focus and get even more work accomplished? That’s what developer Cory House discovered after he got rid of his second monitor.

Your furry friend might seem a little stressed out, but you should resist the urge to make them feel, like, super chill with pet pot products (or any of your own). There’s still too much we don’t know.

Dealing with anxiety or depression is challenging enough as it is, but trying to be productive at the same time can feel downright impossible, like swimming against a current. There are some small productivity hacks that can help. Over at Peaceful Dumpling, writer Cara Danielle Brown suggests giving yourself permission to do “bad work.” In other words, allow yourself to just start working, even if your work isn’t perfect— you can focus on perfecting it later.

This morning, Piriform, developer of PC maintenance tool CCleaner, announced it was breached by hackers who infected an estimated 2 million users with malware. Prifirom says the incident has since been resolved, but encourages users to update the software to prevent further compromises. The malware, discovered by security researchers at Cisco Talos, accompanied downloads of certain versions of CCleaner. Luckily, not every CCleaner user is affected by the malware breach.

Android: If you’ve got an Android device, you most likely have a backup of it stored in your Google Drive account. Unfortunately, as one user discovered, that backup can expire in 60 days if you leave your Android device untouched, even if you’ve got more than enough space to store it yourself. The potentially crippling data deletion policy completely wiped redditor Tanglebrook’s Android smartphone backup, which included saved Wi-Fi passwords and personal preference settings.

Your cat knows what’s up. Even if she don’t run and hide at the sight of her carrier, there’s no way she’s going into that thing without a fight. But the fight stresses her out and can leave you frustrated and scratched up—not to mention late for the vet. Enter the kitty burrito. Basically, you need to restrain your cat’s limbs, both to protect yourself from claws and to stop her from grabbing hold of the outside of the carrier.

In order to be classified as a “craft beer,” The Brewer’s Association requires the brewery making it to be small, independent, and traditional. That means that while some breweries owned by companies like Anheuser-Busch might call themselves “craft” they aren’t. If you don’t pay close attention, it can be hard to tell the “big” beer from the small guys when you’re at the grocery store. Now there’s an app for that.

If you always leave Bluetooth on your phone on, you might want to rethink things. A vulnerability known as BlueBorne was discovered this week by security research firm Armis. With it, researchers were able to infiltrate Samsung Galaxy Phones and the Google Pixel as well as an LG Sports Watch and a car audio system, all by exploiting the Bluetooth connection. Other devices are also vulnerable.

Spotify’s latest update adds iMessage support, making it easier to share tracks with your friends during text conversations. Best of all, both sender and receiver can play the shared tracks without opening the app itself—at least until you want to listen to the whole song. You might be accustomed to sharing Spotify tracks while you’re in the music app and sending it to someone through iMessage.

Firefox users bouncing between work and personal accounts on a daily basis are probably tired of logging in and out, or switching accounts. Thanks to the new (and overdue) Mozilla-made Multi-Account Container extension, you won’t have to worry about remembering which account you’re logged into. If you’re unconcerned about separating work and personal accounts, you can still take advantage of multi-account browsing to preserve your privacy or discourage bad habits.

Ever walk into an art supply store and wonder what all the different kinds of pens and pencils are for? Is there a “correct” one to write with? What’s the best pen for lefties? Watch our simple video guide to the best uses for ballpoints, gel pens, and roller ball pens. Get out those Trapper Keepers and sharpen your No.